The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-03-23
Wednesday, March %, 1887.
Are We True to Our Past History :

Are We True to Our Past History
We copy into these columns an editoria
from the Columbia Register, which. we lhihh
describes the situation az 1t was in the Soutf
before the war. The great fortunes whicf
members Of the ruling class possessed faVol
ed the highest culture and the most perfec
refinement. A minority OF rich and cultured
people gave tone, character and reputation tt
the whole. Their high and chivalrous spirit
was emulated by all who sought social posi-
ton or desired the respect OF their fellows
This high spirit would brook no insult te
wife, sister or mother, and the offence was
always promptly and severely punished un
der the duelling code, or by other and more
rash acts Such thing as suit In court fol
damages against the assailant OF female hon
or was unheard OF in the South. In South
Carolina this high regard for woman estab
lshed so unalterably the sanctity Of mar
riage that the Legislature Of the State refused
to grant divorce under even the most aggre.
waiting circumstances. And the woman's
honor was so carefully guarded, that the
least acknowledgment or recognition Of her
as wife made her in fact legal wife.
Tho State for years before the war annually
appropriated $4,000 for the education OF such
children as were unable to pay tuition fees'
so proud and 30 spirited we're the people OF
South Carolina that this sum was never OF
seldom exhausted. Except in few OF the
mountain counties there was almost no illit
crate citizens in the State the per cent. oI
illiteracy in South Carolina being then less
than 1t was in any other State In the Union.
Even though future generations may not
aspire to those virtues and excellencies which
will yet be immortslized In story and song
vet the true South Carolinian will ever revere
and honor the traditions and history Of the
glorious characteristics Of chivalrous an
cestry.
The question with US Is, and should be,
are we OF to-day true to the prin'
ciples and honor for which our fathers
enanter, who suffered expatriation and con.
nscation or property before yielding to the
demands OF the Church OF England. been true
to the traditions Of former ages
Are we the worthy sons OF worthy sires
Have we been true as steel to those princi-
pies which were instilled into us In our
childhood, or have we been truant to our best
history, and proved only clay In the hands OF
the potters Have we, like many other con.
quered people, not received the impress of the
conqueror, and deserted the highest princi-
pies OF our forefathera, and dishonored the
best teachings OF our mothers7
II this is not so, whence comes this ingrati-
tude to the needy Confederate soldier which
denies him pension? II this Is not 30, and
we have not renounced our allegiance to the
honor and fame and glory OF historic South
Carolina, whence comes this truckling-this
disgusting hypocrisy-of our State govern
msnt In the conflscation Of the property OF
Confederate widows that negroes may be ed
ucated?
II we have not gone back on our former
character, whence comes this cry for divorce
law, and the enactment OF marriage license
low9 In the olden times no spot OF ground
on the face of all the earth afforded 30 great
a protection to woman as South Carolina
but 1t seems that the impress Of the conquer,
or has been made upon a large minority Ct
our people, and there is to-day clamor for
divorce law, and demand for marriage
license law.
II we have not received the impress Of the
conqueror, why should the duelling code be
abolished, and exist only in the history Of a
people whose crest was the highest Of any OF
whom we have any record in the worlds his
tory?
II we have not received the impress Of the
conqueror, how Is 1t that injured woman now
comes into the court seeking money damages? :?
In the olden days would not her father have
avenged the wrong?
II we have not received the impress OF the
conqueror, why have we In South Carolina a
public system which forces every decent citi-
zen 10 assume the position OF a pauper. in or
der to make pauperism respectable in our
schools?
Hos not the enemy, with the camp follower,
the renegade, and the negro accomplished,
what he could not accomplish with million
cleaning bayonetss
An innumerable host Of soldiers with arms
in their hands, failed TO cause US to forfeit or
to renounce our manhood This grieved
wicked foe, and seeing our spirit was yet un-
broken-three years after we had laid down
our armE-conceived the idea Of sending the
carpet baggsr, and the negro constabulary.
Have not the carpet bagger, and the negro
constables, together with negro ballots, caused
the Confederate soldier to renounce those
high and selfrespecting principles which dis
tinguished him In the past?
1t would seem to US that he has done SO.
There are In all parts Of South Carolina, good
men who now clamor for the conf1scation OF
the Confederate soldiers property for the ed
ucation Of negroes, while their own comrades
in arms receive no regard Mt all at their hands.
The newspapers and politicians may justly
talk OF New South. Be IT to our shame,
there Is q New South.
In the years before the war the North
Was jealous Of the culture, refinement and
chivalary OF the South. AS we, since the
war, lower our crest and initiate our con-
querers, they rejoice. and proclaim again and
again, that there Is q New South, and in
30 far as we have copied their manners, their
customs, their principles, their contempt for
ingratitude to-Confederate soldiers, ana cop
led their hypocritical love for the negro. they
may truly proclaim the fact that there Is a
New South. And 1t Is to our shame that 1t is
80. Will any Confederate soldier, who Is not
lost to every sense Of patriotism, manhood,
and respectability. say that he prefers to tax
be educated, while needy Confederate SOL
diers. their widows and orphans are without
pensions? Is 1t true that any Confederate
6OlQler nus 80 laT lOT6OIttu luc lHSllIlCtS VI
common humanity, as to love little negroes
more than he does his comrades in arms,
his own men and brethren? Would not such
an avowal disgust even every decent negro
in South Carolina7
Since the Register hae 80 correctly described
the situation before the war, we trust that
paper may be willing to Join a crusade
against the innovations since the war. Let
us then throw of the false principles which
the conqueror has impressed upon US and